Seoul: Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan and speed skater Park Ji-woo have been selected as the co-flag bearers for South Korea at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy. They will lead the South Korean delegation during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Olympics on February 6, as announced by the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) on Monday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, both athletes bring extensive Olympic experience to the role, with each marking their third appearance at the Winter Games. Cha Jun-hwan, 24, first competed on home soil at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, securing a 15th place finish. He subsequently improved his performance at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, achieving a fifth-place finish, the highest ever by a South Korean male figure skater. Recently, Cha secured second place at the International Skating Union Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Beijing, setting a promising tone ahead of the Winter Olympics.

Park Ji-woo, 27, debuted at the 2018 Olympics and competed in the women's mass start. Although she did not reach the final that year, she continued to represent South Korea in the semifinals of the mass start at the 2022 Beijing Games and participated in the 1,000 meters, finishing 30th. This year, she is set to compete in the 1,500m and mass start events.

The KSOC also confirmed that South Korea will send a delegation of 71 athletes to Italy, which marks an increase of six participants compared to the 2022 Winter Olympics. Among the sports, snowboarding will have the largest group with 11 athletes, followed by short track speed skating and bobsleigh, each with 10 athletes.